Top flight clubs all safely through

No shocks in League Cup as Prem sides all avoid upsets

There were no shock results in the Northern Irish League Cup on Tuesday night as all eight top flight sides in action safely made it through into the next round.

Carrick Rangers required penalties to see off Championship 1 side Lurgan Celtic at Taylor’s Avenue – the 90 minutes finished scoreless, but Aaron Haire gave the visitors the lead from the spot in extra time before Gary Browne took the match to a penalty shootout, which Gary Haveron’s men narrowly won 5-4.

A first half strike was enough for 10-man Glentoran to see off the challenge of Championship 2 side PSNI, while Crusaders needed two late strikes to see of Knockbreda 3-1 in a match that may be remembered by a magnificent Gavin Whyte strike for the hosts.

Warren Feeney’s Linfield - who lost at Ballyclare at this stage last season - made lighter work of Glebe Rangers, an Ivan Sproule double helping them to a 5-0 triumph, even though four of the strikes came in the final fifteen minutes. TJ Murray, Andy Waterworth and Aaron Burns netted the others.

Last year’s beaten finalists Ballymena United recorded their first win of the season at Moyola Park but they had to come from behind and they required extra time. Chris Dowie gave the hosts an early lead but a David Cushley strike gave the Sky Blues the extra half-hour to make their superior fitness show – a Matthew Shevlin double and Eoin Kane saw Glenn Ferguson’s men record a much needed victory.

Portadown needed extra time too at Larne, and again the match finished 1-4. A double from Darren Murray, a strike from Michael Gault and a first competitive goal for Marcio Soares was enough for the Ports, who had initially been pegged back by Guillaume Keke – on loan at the Harbour Rats from Cliftonville.

Last season’s beaten semi-finalists Bangor were the biggest casualties of the night, falling to a 2-1 defeat at Limavady, but Ballinamallard, Coleraine, HW Welders, Ards and Institute all made it through, with four ties still to come.